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Arizona State alum Spencer Torkelson returns to the Valley as Detroit Tigers rookie

Torkelson made his return to Arizona to face the Diamondbacks for the first time in his career.
Credit: AP
Arizona State first baseman Spencer Torkelson during an NCAA college baseball game against Notre Dame, Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

PHOENIX — The home run king is back in the Valley of the Sun for the first time since 2020. ASU alum and former No. 1 overall pick in the Major League Baseball Draft, Spencer Torkelson played inside Chase Field for the first time in his young MLB career.

“It’s special,” Torkelson said. “Because I came on to the national scene playing at ASU. To be able to play in this ballpark this year, it’s really cool to be back here and I’m glad it could be in my first year.”

Torkelson is hoping to match his production from his Sun Devil playing days when he tallied 54 home runs for second-most in program history. Torkelson fell three short of Bob Horner’s longstanding record of 56 bombs.

In fact, as a freshman he added 25 home runs leading the nation and setting a Pac-12 record for a freshman, also breaking Barry Bonds’ ASU record for home runs by a freshman.

Torkelson likely would’ve set the all-time record if it weren’t for a shortened 2020 season and had a little fun with the record holder over a prior phone call.

“Bob Horner actually called me about two weeks after the season was canceled,” Torkelson said. “He apologized to me saying I’m so sorry, and I asked are you really? It was all good fun.”

While Torkelson works to find more consistency in the big leagues, he knows patience is key to continuing to see progress.

“Learn the ropes a little bit, get comfortable playing at the next level and over time the results will come,” Torkelson said.

   

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Arizona sports

The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.  

The Cardinals have made the State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers also play at the Footprint. Phoenix has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC. 

The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Cactus Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the Waste Management Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall; and Cactus League Spring Training. 

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